1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the processing of bakery dough, and more particularly concerns apparatus for applying flour to sequential pieces of dough for the purpose of preventing adhesion of said dough pieces to dough-handling equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been long known that flour can be employed to prevent pieces of bakery dough from sticking to the surfaces of bakery-handling equipment. In simplest form, a layer of flour is deposited upon a horizontal surface such as a moving belt or stationary tray onto which pieces of dough are deposited. However, the upper surface of the piece of dough is still sufficiently tacky so that it will adhere to the surfaces of other equipment which receive the dough.
"Flouring" devices for applying flour to dough pieces or equipment surfaces generally include a flour hopper and means for dispersing and distributing the flour. The distributing means generally include agitators, screens and vibrators, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,697. Such manner of dispensing the flour generally produces an undesirable airborne dust which constitutes a health hazard for workers who breathe the air adjacent the dough-handling machinery. Once settled, the flour accumulates throughout the bakery as wastage, causing significant housekeeping problems and potential insect infestation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,994 to Britcher discloses apparatus for applying a flour dust cloud to dough pieces rolling down a stationary rounder device that shapes the dough piece. Although the Britcher apparatus is intended to coat the entire surface of the dough piece and coat associated machinery surfaces, it attempts to accomplish this on pieces of dough that are moving upon stationary supporting or shaping surfaces. It has been found however, that moving pieces of bakery dough are apt to deform and thereby produce fresh tacky surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,213 to Laramore, like Britcher, discloses apparatus for flouring balls of dough as they roll down an inclined stationary chute. U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,301 to Laramore discloses apparatus for flouring balls of dough held within cups on a conveyor. Although this apparatus minimizes the amount of flour lost or wasted, complete flouring of the entire dough ball surface is not readily achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,533 discloses a flouring device for dispensing flour downwardly onto dough on a moving belt. It should be noted however, that the dough, whether in the form of continuous extrudate, pieces or shaped balls, will have a generally upwardly convex upper surface that merges into an underside which is generally downwardly convex. When flour is dropped from above onto the upper surface, a shadowing effect is produced whereby the convex underside receives no flour, and thereby remains tacky.
The use of moving belts for transporting dough is well known, as indicated in the aforesaid reference patents. Moving belts have additionally been employed in other industries for the shaping or transport of products, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,325,573 and 3,659,981. However, endless compliant conveyor belts have not heretofore been employed interactively with pieces of dough other than to serve as a flat transporting surface.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide flouring apparatus for the treatment of sequential pieces of bakery dough.
It is another object of this invention to provide flouring apparatus which will deposit a flour coating upon the entire surface of said pieces of dough.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide flouring apparatus of the aforesaid nature which employs a compliant moving belt to transport said dough pieces.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide flouring apparatus of the aforesaid nature wherein the sequential pieces of dough remain motionless with respect to belt movement during at least the final stage of the flouring treatment.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide flouring apparatus of the aforesaid nature which minimizes flour losses.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide flouring apparatus of the aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture and easy maintenance.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.